


Middle Frequency Sounds

by fearobin



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Fluff, M/M, hard of hearing character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 20:30:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7698385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearobin/pseuds/fearobin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robin barely knew Chrom. He knew he was in a couple more of his classes, like English, and French. He knew he was ridiculously good at any and all sports. He knew he looked at him just a tiny bit too often when he was supposed to be taking notes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Robin clutched his books tightly to his chest as he hurried through the college corridor, weaving in and out of the bustling students like a needle through fabric. Holding his breath as he scuttled along, he anxiously stared at the floor as if it was directing him where to go, so he had no need to ever look up again.

It was lunch time, and he was planning to head to his spot on the field where he could sit alone, doodle in his sketchpad, and watch the students play football from afar. Peaceful and tranquil was the small patch of grass he had claimed as his own, with a magnificent view of the vast space around him. His eyes often glanced over the gentle clouds, triggering a familiar feeling in his chest, as if from somewhere he once knew he had seen the same sky.

Robin's head was violently dragged from it's reassuring thoughts, and into someone's back.

"Watch where you're going!" a rough voice spat, as the speaker pivoted round to face him. He had harsh, angular features, and deep brown hair, and he most certainly didn't look pleased.

"S-Sorry," Robin mumbled, clenching his books ever tighter with one hand, the other rushing to his nose.

"Don't mind him!" came a louder, chirpier voice from a white haired student, whose smile seemed too big for his face. "He's always grumpy! Come along, Lon'qu!"

Robin flashed a grateful half-smile at the grinning boy for preventing any further conflict, before backing off into a doorway to deal with his inevitable nosebleed. After praying that today would not be a day it would be dripping for a full hour, he breathed a sigh of relief when he glanced at his hand to find only a speck of blood. He quickly cleaned himself up with the tissues he carried around in case this issue decided to show its face yet again, and continued through the hallway, making sure not to allow his mind to wander, or his body to walk straight into another's.

Upon reaching the foyer, he seated himself on one of the uncomfortable wooden benches whilst he searched for his phone in his bag.

It wasn't there.

'Shit...' he thought, every cell in his body screaming not to cry. Gazing across the area as if his phone was going to walk out from behind someone and right into his hand, he noticed a group of boys from his PE class amble up the steps and into the middle of the foyer. Chrom stood at the centre, confidently laughing along with the rest of them.

Robin barely knew Chrom. He knew he was in a couple more of his classes, like English, and French. He knew he was ridiculously good at any and all sports. He knew he looked at him just a tiny bit too often when he was supposed to be taking notes. Admittedly, Chrom was cute; Robin couldn't help but look at him. Thankfully, as far as Robin knew, Chrom had no knowledge that the short one had noticed the way his mouth pursed when he was thinking, the way his eyes lit up when he answered a question correctly during lessons, or the determination on his face when he had possession of the ball in PE. Robin had barely even noticed those things anyway... They were just simple observations that were apparent to everyone else, of course.

* * *

The bell chimed, signalling the end of the school day. The school day in which Robin still did not have his phone. Annoyed at himself for losing track of it, he hurried through the busy corridor once more, surfing against the tide of students gushing for the door and spilling outside onto the concrete.

The PE locker room seemed like the best bet; he had snuck back there earlier to play Fieldrunners instead of actually running across the fields. To his relief, Robin had a ghost-like presence in the class since the teacher hated him almost as much as he hated sports, so he got away with it.

Turning the corner that led to the changing rooms, he found himself once again smashing into someone, except this time it was into their chest. He was overcome with embarrassment, immediately jumping backwards, his eyes rapidly moving, looking at anything other than the person's face. Panicking, he blurted words out without stopping for another thought, "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I'll be more careful next t-"

"Ah, Robin." The voice was relaxed and nonthreatening. It was wise and laced with kindness. It was Chrom. Robin slowly looked up at him, startled he even knew his name. "I was hoping you hadn't left yet." What?! "I think this is yours? I saw you on it earlier, after basketball." Chrom outstretched his arm, offering a phone that seemed so tiny when he was holding it. Oh. Robin blinked, admiring the structure of Chrom's hand for a second before reclaiming his belonging.

"Yeah... Uh, I forgot it. Thank you," he shakily replied, hesitating before he finished, "Chrom."

Chrom warmly smiled at the smaller boy, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking away, "Don't worry about it."

As Robin's face heated up, he was thankful Chrom had already left and now couldn't see how pleasantly surprised he was that he had spoken to him. Fumbling with his mobile, he noticed how much bigger the phone seemed now he was holding it, and was sheepish to find himself considering how much smaller his own hand would seem if it was holding Chrom's.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been about a week since Robin's awkward encounter with his cerulean haired classmate, and he had thought about it far more than he was willing to admit. Feeling truly pathetic about how attractive he found the other boy, he had begun forcing himself not to look up at him when he was supposed to be taking notes anymore. He now felt worse than ever in lessons, but he decided it was better than to give himself false hope that the two would ever talk again.

On the positive side, the grinning boy from that day, Henry, had suddenly made himself known to Robin in the lesson they were in together along with Lon'qu, his standoffish boyfriend. Throughout maths he would blather on about birds he had seen earlier, or a fight he had witnessed (which probably had never happened at all, and Henry was most likely over exaggerating, as he often did, for dramatic effect), or whether he should have apple or blackcurrant juice from the canteen today.

The smile he constantly wore never faltered, to the point where it seemed as though he was under a spell, but Robin accepted this creepy aspect of him, and enjoyed his company nevertheless, listening earnestly to the parts of his stories he could understand, and responding whenever he could fit a word in.

As everyone gathered their belongings and waited to be dismissed, Chrom walked in to the classroom to hand in overdue homework, laughing nervously and turning a soft scarlet colour when the teacher lightly scolded him for it. Smiling slightly at his blunder, Robin watched from the back of the classroom.

"Chrom, eh?" Henry teased, waggling his eyebrows, his grin growing wider in response to Robin's red face.

"We've only spoken once and it was, like, three words."

"You spoke to him?" Henry giggled. "You don't seem the type to approach the elusive Chrom!"

"Oh, shush," Robin elbowed him. "I didn't approach him. He spoke to me, actually." This wasn't exactly true. He recalled running into Chrom's chest, but decided it was better to spare that detail.

"Whatever you say!" Henry turned away from him, visibly brighter now he had something to make fun of Robin for.

* * *

Chrom was dreadfully popular, and Robin was dreadfully scared of the group he hung around with. He knew it was stupid, being scared of people his own age due to an invisible hierarchy within students, but it didn't stop him from being afraid. Afraid to talk to them, afraid to make eye contact with them, even afraid to walk past them. Surely they're nice people, he would often say to himself, but still, he couldn't even have said 'excuse me' if he tried.

He was faced with this problem after his drama lesson. Nonchalantly discussing things Robin's ears couldn't make out was a small group of beautifully clothed students, and they happened to be standing right in front of the theatre door Robin had just exited from. Each time he went to take a step, or ask if they would mind out of the way for a second, his body tensed, and he couldn't move. Begging them to leave in his mind, he stood on his tiptoes and searched for Henry, hoping he would help him out of the situation.

"Move out the way, Lissa; you're trapping poor Robin!" Chrom unexpectedly spoke out, walking over to the door where everyone was stood.

"I'm sorry!" Lissa cried, her blonde curls bouncing as she and her friends promptly shuffled to the side, creating a path for Robin. "I didn't see you there! You're so small!" she gasped, rushing over to ruffle his thick, white hair. Robin smiled shyly at this gesture.

Chrom strode through the gap of people, cautiously placing a hand on Robin's shoulder and leading him away from the group. "Alright, alright," he sighed. "Sorry about my sister!" He laughed. "She likes cute things." Robin's eyes widened. Did Chrom just call him cute?

Robin swallowed the lump in his throat and replied, "I-It's fine, really. Sorry, I just got..." he couldn't find words that he felt wouldn't make him seem strange. Chrom gave a face as though he understood.

"They're all harmless, don't worry! You can always ask me if you need any help." He offered a smile that made Robin's insides flip. All he could offer in return was a sincere nod.

* * *

Reading aloud script lines he had to learn for drama coursework, Robin sat alone in his space on the field, with only the pleasant breeze to keep him company. Although Robin was quick to feel uneasy, surprisingly he never felt lonely sitting on the vibrant green grass, pondering whether it would be possible to count all the blades. In fact, he felt quite content and at home there.

If he turned to the right, he could see the makeshift football pitch that the students had so intricately constructed by placing a bag to signify a goal post. It was amusing to try to guess who each person was as they chased the ball, but Robin knew he probably never assumed correctly.

Apart from Chrom.

He knew it was Chrom because his radiant blue hair shone brighter to Robin than if someone were to shove a torch in front of his eyes. He always ran the fastest, kicked with the most accuracy, and scored the most goals. Not that Robin was really paying attention or anything. That would be pretty pathetic, seeing as they'd spoken only twice now. Still, it was one more time than it was yesterday. Robin laughed at himself for thinking that, pulled his sleeves over his hands, and continued silently cheering for Chrom as he played.

* * *

Shuffling uncomfortably on his feet, Robin tried to listen to the PE teacher explain how to do a dig with a volleyball, but all that crossed his mind was how he never should've shown up at all. The lesson was akin to a worst enemy for him, and he could think of nothing worse than having to stand it a minute longer...

However, after a quick peek at the clock, the realisation that the lesson had only started 5 minutes ago, and so had quite a way to go yet, came crashing down on him like a ton of bricks. He ground his teeth together as everyone sorted themselves into pairs for practice, awkwardly holding a volleyball at his side. All of a sudden he realised how dumb he felt in shorts.

"You look like you could kill someone!" Chrom commented as he walked over to a grim-faced Robin. Why was he talking to him out of nowhere now like they were friends?

"I feel like I could." Chrom arranged himself in the dig position. Robin tossed the ball at him, and received it back after a light tap by his new partner.

"It's not that bad, is it?" Chrom asked, but Robin couldn't make it out over the various other conversations echoing in the sports hall. Taking the ball from him, Chrom stood a couple of steps back, before throwing it to Robin, who tried his best, but accidentally punched it instead of hitting it. Laughing softly, Chrom came closer, "Here, I'll show you."

He took Robin's hand, and at his touch Robin instinctively flinched back, before seeing Chrom's honest eyes, and allowing himself to be guided. His hands were worn, but light as air. Even though they were much larger than Robin's, and most likely bore the strength to crush his puny fingers, they were safe. After making sure his arms and hands were in the right position, Chrom threw the ball to Robin once again, who tapped it with his forearms, returning it to his partner. As he watched Chrom's face light up with pride, Robin found himself actually enjoying PE for the first time in as long as he could remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooo chrom actually talks to robin who continues being a distant gay


	3. Chapter 3

A slightly shaken Robin was now walking home with the boy he so greatly admired.

After getting changed alone in the toilet so everyone else didn't see his limp frame, he was taken aback to find Chrom waiting for him outside of the locker room. Chrom's already dazzling face beamed brightly at him as he began to ramble about how Robin was surprisingly pretty good at volleyball, and how Chrom wanted him to join the team, and how he was disappointed they hadn't talked before.

Robin was indubitably overwhelmed by all of this, and had barely said a word during the past ten minutes they had spent strolling along the pavement. Half of Chrom's words he had not really heard anyway, but they sounded passionate and emotive, so he had assumed it was something nice.

"Sports isn't really my thing..." Robin mumbled, fiddling with his sleeves. "I pretty much just focus on drama." Trailing off at the end, he was ashamed that Chrom might find him too weird or nerdy to talk to after finding out about the kind of things he was interested in.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Chrom's eyes twinkled. "I can't act to save my life! I can barely read something out loud with any emotion, to be honest. You're really great, Robin!"

Robin was overcome with joy to be complimented; he felt as though a tiny firework had exploded inside his stomach. Never had he spent the journey home with anybody else before, and now to be walking with Chrom?! He caught himself pinching his skin just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Not that he had ever dreamt about Chrom before.

"Sorry, this is my stop." Chrom seemed almost... sad that he had to go a different way. Robin's heart fluttered at the thought of Chrom wanting to be around him. "Oh, what's your number?"

Even at just those simple words, the boy's pale face painted itself cherry red, and he hastily glanced up to find a sincere Chrom, who was already retrieving his phone from his bag. Just as the two were exchanging numbers, Chrom clumsily dropped his phone, and began fumbling about on the floor, attempting to pick it up in the most inelegant fashion Robin had ever seen. Never in years would he have thought the sports-savvy student to be so uncoordinated. It was pitifully cute.

* * *

"I'm not sure, Chrom," Frederick ponded, pulling up grass from the ground and ripping it up into tiny pieces. "I mean, when have you ever heard him speak?"

"He speaks... enough. He's more of a listener," Chrom insisted.

"Is he listening? He seems quite spaced out whenever I see you with him."

"Have you ever spoken to him?" Frederick didn't respond. "Exactly. When you get a friend of your own you can judge them instead," Chrom teased.

Chrom and Robin had begun building a fast friendship over the past couple of weeks, the two pairing up in lessons, texting each other frequently, and even walking to school together. Admittedly, Chrom had had to initiate all of these things, but he was pretty sure Robin wanted to do them with him, right?

'you okay?' Chrom quickly texted whilst Frederick was concentrating a bit too intently on the grass.

'yea, just on the field' Robin always replied ridiculously fast, as though he could type at the speed of light. Standing up and scanning the vicinity, Chrom spotted a tiny white haired figure lying alone not too far away.

"See ya, Frederick!" Chrom called back as he jogged over to the figure in the distance. His best friend sighed as he watched him leave.

The grass was soft and tickled his skin; Robin could almost take a nap in it. He had propped himself up with his elbows, and was lightly running a pencil across his sketchbook, waiting for it to look more like what he was planning to draw. Feeling the wind rustle his hair was soothing, and he couldn't help but picture himself staying there forever.

At a light tap on his shoulder, his arm jerked, snapping the end of his pencil and leaving a harsh line on the page. Frightened, he swiftly twisted his head, relieved to find Chrom seating himself beside him.

Robin began to sit up, "You scared the hell out of me."

Chrom smiled bashfully, "I called out as I was coming over. I don't think you heard."

It felt a bit odd to Robin to see someone else in the place he had been alone in countless times over the past year, but since it was Chrom he decided he didn't mind. His presence was reassuring, and he was absurdly pretty to look at, as though he were a single flower blooming amongst the endless blades of grass.

Chrom, however, felt slightly out of place, as though he was intruding into Robin's private world. Whistling a popular tune to himself, he began pulling up the grass and tugging it apart, just as he had watched Frederick do, minutes ago.

"Do you know that song?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

"What song?"

Chrom frowned. "The one I was just whistling? It's on the radio a lot..."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't hear."

Chrom glanced back over at where Frederick and many other students were gathered. "Is something wrong, Robin?" He looked up at his smaller friend. "It's just... I don't know if it's me overthinking, but... You don't seem to really _hear_ me all that often, if that makes any sense. It's not that I think you're ignoring me. At least, I think you're not. You just seem a bit distant, I mean-"

"I'm a bit hard of hearing," Robin replied, smiling timidly at the ground as if had just given him a pat on the back. Suddenly a lot of things made sense. "I can't really hear middle frequency sounds."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. You didn't have to tell me," Chrom felt bad about forcing his insecurities onto Robin. He should've listened to himself when he told Frederick there was no problem earlier.

"It's fine, it's not that bad," Robin reassured him. "I need subtitles on movies, and I'm useless in big groups, but most of the time I know what's going on. I'm glad you picked up on it, though. I wasn't sure how to let you know!"

Chrom's heart rose back into its place. "If you ever need me to explain something, write it down for you, or anything, then I will. I'm sorry I made a big deal out of it."

Gratitude shone brightly in Robin's eyes; it was the first time someone had ever offered to help him out without acting as though he was a burden to them. Feeling a gentle hand snake around his own, he stared, wide-eyed, at it before grasping it like a child. Warmth filled his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this isnt that interesting


	4. Chapter 4

Robin watched as Henry dragged Lon'qu off of the bus and in his direction.

"Robin!" his grin was as wide as ever. "Did you invite Chrom over like I said to?!" Robin felt multiple pairs of eyes burn into his back, and a wave of self consciousness washed over him, leaving him soaked with embarrassment.

"Not yet. I was going to ask him to come to my house this weekend..."

"You should!" Henry exclaimed, determination burning in his eyes.

"About time you got a room," Lon'qu grumbled. "You flirt in the hallways enough."

"We don't flirt!" Robin sputtered, "He's just funny..." Rolling his eyes, Lon'qu sauntered into the building, mumbling something about seeing Henry later.

Flitting his eyes about the scene in front of him, Robin observed everyone striding into school with a confidence he felt he would never possess. He wondered what it was like to feel comfortable here, what it was like to stand amongst people and feel at ease, what is was like not feeling the need for someone else to validate you just being there.

Henry patted Robin's shoulder, winked, and promptly left the confused boy sitting on the bench in front of the school. Glancing around, he noticed Chrom advancing towards him. Oh. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Hey, what's up?" Chrom asked upon witnessing the visible discomfort on his friend's face.

"Nothing, really. I was just overthinking..." White locks fell down to hide the evident blush on his face. "I'm glad you're here now." Chrom placed his hand on Robin's shoulder, rubbing circles with his thumb. He swore his blood stopped pumping for a second each time Chrom touched him.

* * *

A hand on Robin's back, Chrom led him across the vast field to the makeshift football pitch. Robin had never really spoken to any of Chrom's friends, so the taller boy had decided he was going to remedy that situation. Seeing Robin sit alone each lunchtime made his heart hurt, and he knew that everyone would adore him; they practically knew him already, seeing as Chrom spoke about him just a tiny bit more than he should have.

Robin, however, was completely and utterly terrified. He could barely speak to Chrom or Henry, let alone talk with such an enormous group of people. He was particularly scared of being unable to understand everyone and getting overwhelmed, even though Chrom had promised he had told everyone to: 'be on their best behaviour and keep the shouting and mob mentality to a minimum'. Hearing that didn't really ease Robin's nerves.

On the contrary, the considerate hand on his back did.

"Chrom!" A girl with beautifully clear complexion and enchanting, flowing vermilion hair hurried over to them. "This is Robin?"

"Hey, Cordelia. Yes, this is him." Chrom spoke fondly of his friend, as though he was proud to introduce him. It made Robin feel safe.

"You're so small!" She gushed, her hands rushing to her cheeks. "I'm Cordelia! It's lovely to meet you, Robin. Chrom talks about you all the time." Chrom shifted a bit but didn't speak.

Robin, to be quite honest, felt he was undeserving of speaking to such a radiant beauty; all he could manage in response was a stunned nod. Others began to gather round, greeting Robin, telling him how small and cute he was, and many other things Robin stood no chance of understanding. Feeling loved, appreciated, and accepted for the first time in what seemed like forever, his eyes found Chrom's, and he hoped his telepathic message of endless 'thank you's reached him.

It had been quite the adventurous hour. A large, muscular Vaike had convinced Robin to take part in a piggy back race against Miriel and Ricken, Tharja had tried to plait his hair numerous times, and Stahl had stuffed him to the brim with food he had baked himself. Frederick was cautious of him, but Chrom reassured that he would warm up over time. "It's like he's in a slow cooker," Robin recalled him joking.

"I was thinking..." Robin began, clutching onto Chrom's sleeves as they walked back up to the college. "This weeken-"

"I've got a basketball game on Saturday, do you wanna come?" Chrom blurted out. Robin stared at him as if the words had physically hit him in the face. Making awkward hand gesture as he spoke, Chrom blushed. "I mean, we're playing Regna Ferox's college. It's not that important or anything, you don't have to come. I mean-"

"Chrom," Robin said softly. "Of course I want to go."

Chrom's face almost seemed to glow.

* * *

The morning of The Shepherds' game against The Khans had dawned, and Chrom was pacing anxiously across Robin's room. Perched on his bed, knees to his chest, Robin patiently attempted to calm Chrom by telling him all about what an amazing athlete he was, how he stood all the chances in the world of beating them, and how, even if he didn't, then Robin would still think he was a fantastic, caring person and he hoped that maybe one day Chrom would think the same of him.

Maybe he didn't voice the latter opinion, but, albeit selfishly, he was thinking it.

Listening to his friend blather on about how he hadn't perfected (insert basketball term here) yet, Robin felt inadequate, as he had no idea what he meant, and therefore no idea how to comfort him about it. After a solid fifteen minutes of panicking Chrom, Robin stepped over to him, grabbing onto the ends of his friend's sleeves, which was becoming a habit of his.

"Chrom, you'll be fine," looking him straight in the eye, Robin continued, "You'll have your friends and team mates cheering you on. I've seen how good you are in PE, and that's only when you have to play with losers like me! I can't begin to imagine how good you are when you play with others who are passionate about it like you are. The fact you're so concerned means you clearly care about it! Take those feelings out onto the court, and I know you'll be amazing!" He showed him the most encouraging smile he could muster, and breathed out slowly, slightly exhausted from his pep talk.

Chrom was, frankly, stunned. He had never heard Robin talk so much, and he had never seen him smile so wide. A tiny ray of sunlight were the only words he could find to describe how Robin looked in that moment. Thinking of no other way to express his gratitude, gently he wrapped his arms around him, softly bringing Robin's face into his chest. Hesitantly, Robin's arms found themselves on Chrom's back, pressing himself further against him, drowning in his sweet smell.

Burying his head in his luscious white hair, Chrom noticed that, now he was snuggled against his chest, he could see clearly how much smaller than him Robin really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> troy bolton aka chrom and slow cooked frederick


	5. Chapter 5

Waiting to go into the sports hall, Robin awkwardly stood alone in the corridor, playing with his sleeves and biting the inside of his mouth. Chrom had gone in a while ago to get changed and prepare for the game with the rest of the team, and it would be about another 10 minutes before everyone else was allowed in to be seated. So far he had seen nobody else who he recognised. Mostly the attendees were the player's siblings and overenthusiastic parents. Robin felt extraordinarily out of place; he was neither a parent nor a sibling, and had never been to any of the school's games.

There were many different sports teams and activities at the college, as many of the students there were planning to enrol at the sports focused university in the next town over, so a large amount of people were willing to participate. Robin, however, wasn't one of those people. He knew he enjoyed drama, but he wasn't quite certain of how he would be able to pursue that aspiration in the future. Besides, his mother probably wanted him to do something more 'valuable' like science.

He hated science.

Chrom was most likely one of the students planning to attend the sports university, Robin thought; he was extremely athletic, he was involved in many teams, and he was astonishingly skilled at most sports, despite being unpredictably clumsy in all other areas of life.

It was quite astounding, actually, how often Chrom messed up his sentences, dropped his books, or left his work at home. Robin found it quite endearing, but Chrom seemed annoyed at himself each time he slipped up.

They hadn't been friends for that long (it was probably around two months now, not that Robin had thought about it much or anything), but the two had an undeniable connection. Although Robin's conversational skills were no match for Chrom's, he enjoyed listening to him ramble on about this or that. He was especially glad that he had been introduced to Chrom's friends a few days ago. They made excellent company, and seemed not to mind Robin trailing along with them.

Speaking of excellent company, Robin was sure Chrom had mentioned a few of his friends were coming to support the team, but he hadn't spotted a single one of them, and there was now only about a minute left before the doors would open to the audience. Not even his younger sister could be seen anywhere. Perhaps he misheard him. Sauntering over to the doors, he pulled out his phone to text Chrom.

'good luck' He typed. It looked a bit sarcastic when he saw it on the screen.

'good luck!' It looked even more sarcastic with an exclamation mark.

'good luck!!!' Too enthusiastic.

'good luck chrom' Too... earnest?

'good luck chrom!' Robin finally decided to settle for that, pressed send, and hastily shoved his phone into his pocket, irritated that he spent so long on something so insignificant.

"Robin!" Cordelia called out from across the corridor. Wait... Cordelia? "Sorry we're late!" She Sumia, Lissa, and Henry rushed over to him. "Henry seemed a bit lost so we helped him find his way here, and then Sumia fell over, of course." She grimaced, "Henry spent a while laughing, but thankfully Lissa cleaned her up and it was just a small scrape."

"It was a bit funny!" Henry retorted.

Robin looked over to his friends sympathetically. "Well, I'm glad you're okay, Sumia."

"It's okay; I'm used to it! My skin is practically rubber now!" she laughed sweetly, Cordelia pulling a piece of a leaf out of her hair.

An unexpected wave of people congregating around the doors swept the tiny Robin away, drowning him in a sea of faces. Moving as fast as his legs would carry him, he was rushed through the entrance, up a couple of steps, and onto a bench, hastily searching through the mess of humans for his friends, frightened that he had lost them, and was now cursed to sit beside strangers for the duration of the game.

Giggling at his unfortunate event, they approached, allowing themselves to be seated around him, and began happily chatting to each other. Robin knew there were a few moments they were probably trying to involve him (a couple of times they all stopped and looked in his direction), but he had less than a clue of what they had said. Vast were the walls of the sports hall, allowing the travelling sound to have a magnificent time bouncing off of them, echoing into everyone's ears. It was a challenge to understand even just the PE teacher in there, and now, with so many people gathered all at once, the various different noises metamorphosed into one giant ball of mass confusion, leaving Robin suspended in the state of hearing everything and nothing at the same time.

After a solid 15 minutes of deafening silence, typed messages, and desperate attempts at lip reading, Henry lightly tapped Robin's shoulder to get his attention. Following Henry's finger, which was pointed at the court below, Robin saw the two teams spill into the hall. He was surprised at how many faces he recognised... Lon'qu... Frederick... Stahl... Gaius... Libra... Vaike... someone who he felt he had met before, but just couldn't remember who he was...

'there are so many people in a team???' Robin typed on his phone notes, holding it up for Henry to read.

He took the phone and typed a response. 'Only five people actually play at a time! Lots of ppl on the bench :)' Robin nodded a thank you to his ever smirking friend before returning his attention to the court. Feeling a bit dizzy from the roar of the crowd, he noticed everything suddenly seemed as though it was moving in slow motion. It didn't help that he knew next to nothing about basketball, so he couldn't even pretend to grasp the situation. He also couldn't even see Chrom.

Just as that thought appeared in his head, a player wearing a white jumper took down his hood revealing azure locks of hair. _There he was._ Robin had never seen him in his basketball uniform before, and, to be blatantly honest, he looked naturally handsome, not to mention it really showed off how muscular his arms were. They appeared smooth to the touch, not that Robin was thinking about, or had ever thought about touching Chrom's arms.

Chrom scanned the crowd before finding his white haired friend, sending a positive grin up to him when he did, waving his hand in greeting. Blinking in surprise, Robin slowly raised his arm in an attempt to wave back, but Chrom was called over to the coach before he could really respond. Eyes following him over to the team, Robin realised the person he recognised from earlier seemed to have... disappeared? Surely he wouldn't bolt from a game?

'who was the big guy? he left??? :0' Robin typed for Henry.

'Youll see! ;)' Robin wasn't quite sure what that meant, and felt almost uncomfortable looking at the winking emote, but decided he would just take Henry's word for it.

During the game, it would have been quite the stretch to say that Robin knew what was happening. He understood that Ylisse college had planted the ball into the net six times, and Regna Ferox five, but he had less than half of an idea what the scoreboard was saying. He also understood that Chrom had tree times been the very planter of that ball into the net, and had clapped enthusiastically, amazed to have witnessed the pure ecstasy on Chrom's face when he had sunk a shot. It was all unbelievably impressive to Robin, but then again, he was the boy who had once punched a volleyball whilst trying to dig it.

Hoping he wouldn't mind, Robin typed one more message for Henry. 'how long left?' He was too small to see the clock from where he was sitting.

'Abtotut a mintueuir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Henry rapidly typed back, not taking his eyes away from the court for a second.

A beautifully dark skinned girl on The Khans, Regna Ferox's team, was in possession of the ball, and it seemed as though she was about to shoot again. Clearly talented at the sport, she had scored all of the shots for her team, and could undoubtedly breeze through another one. Captivated by her movements, Robin watched her almost dance across the court before tossing the ball. It was going to land. He wasn't quite sure what it would mean if both teams had scored the same amount of times. A draw? The numbers on the board seemed pretty close...

Like a flash of lightning, a bulky figure materialised in front of the goal, leaping into the air, dynamically blocking the shot with ease. Robin let out a gasp.

_Kellam!_

Everyone on the Ylisse supporting side of the hall immediately rose in jubilation, Robin applauding from his seat, too embarrassed to stand. Practically jumping up and down, Henry yelled excitedly, shaking Robin by the shoulders. Laughing, Robin joined him, cheering alongside his four friends. Down on the court, Chrom looked up to them, grinning wider than ever before, delighted at the team's now evident win, and the support from his friends.

'Told you you'd see!!!' Henry held up his phone for Robin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chrom is troy bolton. pretend this makes any sense.. sorry theres not much chrobin in this chapter rip i like to include the friendships and stuff of other characters as well. i hope at least someone is enjoying this w


	6. Chapter 6

Robin missed his spot on the field. His heart ached to look at it. The school year was almost over and he still hadn't gone back there.

He missed the pleasant breeze keeping him company. He missed sitting alone on the vibrant green grass, pondering whether it would be possible to count all the blades. He missed feeling quite content and at home there.

He didn't miss not having any friends.

Getting to know everyone had turned out to be one of the most valuable experiences of Robin's life; he truly adored each of his friends, and treasured them, but he couldn't help but feel like a complete outsider.

He hadn't always lived in Ylisse, or any of the surrounding towns - he had moved there from a place that was counties away - but everyone else had been born in the area and knew it like the back of their hand. Not to mention they had been friends long before Robin had come into the picture; he wasn't in on long-running jokes, and he wasn't great at making any. However, he was used to being on the outside, and felt he could deal with it.

The worst feeling was the overwhelming sense of confusion he got during conversations. Robin knew he was difficult to communicate with when it was more than just him and another involved, but he still felt resent toward himself as he watched the words he should've heard run through his hands and clump at his feet like sand slowly burying him alive. Pathetically, he had stopped even attempting to follow what was happening when everyone was together anymore, and just stood with a vague face as everyone around him spoke.

Wistfully, he stared at what used to be his small area, pondering whether it was possible to count all the sentences he was missing. Feeling as though he was in a car at night, watching blurry lights pass by with no sense of where he was, he lay back on the ground, shutting his eyes and outstretching his arms as if trying to grasp ahold of something.

* * *

"Thinking of joining?" Chrom asked hopefully. Robin was eyeing up a poster about the new volleyball club at school. The two had made a habit of playing the game in Chrom's back garden, and frequently Robin was told by Chrom that he was a natural (although he was sure he was just being kind), and that he was improving by miles with every hit. Robin was surprised that he had found it enjoyable, but was certain he would pale in comparison to anyone that would be joining a team at school, and wouldn't stand a chance in an actual game.

"No," Robin mumbled, clutching his books close to his chest and carrying on his way down the corridor. Chrom followed, frowning.

"You want to join."

"I don't."

"I can tell you do."

"Well, you're wrong."

"Why won't you admit it?"

"Because I don't want to."

"You want to."

"I _can't!_ " Robin stopped harshly, turning to his friend. His face was screwed up, and he looked as though he could break into a thousand pieces if someone touched him.

"Why?" Chrom's voice dripped with concern.

"I'm not good enough."

"But-"

"You know I'm not! I've come to loads of your games, but when have you ever come to see something _I've_ done? You never have because there's nothing to see! Tell me one thing I'm good at. _One_ thing!" Chrom stared at him, mouth slightly open. "Exactly." Robin scurried off into the mess of students walking past, leaving his friend confused and slightly hurt.

Watching the scene from a classroom doorway was Olivia, who immediately took out her phone and began texting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry ive not posted any of this in a while. also sorry this is just a really short filler thing rip. idk if i should keep updating this im not sure its that good or anything w


	7. Chapter 7

"In the write-up, you'll need to discuss what your task was, and what the messages that you intended to get across to the audience were. You must state what the original stimulus for the piece was, and write about the characters and their roles in the play..."

Robin yawned to himself, praying the drama teacher wouldn't spot him and call him out. Mostly she was nice to him because he enjoyed acting, but she could flip like a switch and become your worst enemy if you even slightly got on her nerves, so he always found himself being extremely cautious around her.

Glancing over at the clock, he was overjoyed to discover there were only about 5 minutes left of the lesson. Drama theory was inexplicably boring - a complete contrast to the sculpting of scenes and character development he enjoyed so much during the practical lessons.

His bright pink-haired classmate, Olivia, had looked over at him a few times too many in the past hour for Robin to feel comfortable, making him shift a bit in his seat each time he noticed. They'd worked together on short pieces before, and he knew she hung around Sumia and Lissa, but the two had barely spoken. In the lessons she always paid careful attention, and moved gracefully about the stage when performing, her light clothing trailing closely behind her. Surprisingly, she could pull off aggressive characters exceptionally well, but it always left her slightly embarrassed afterwards.

Realising everyone else was standing up and gathering their belongings, he concluded that the bell must have gone. It was about time. This day had lasted far too long, and Robin had done much more overthinking than he had planned for. Regret about how he had snapped at Chrom earlier filling his mind, he stuffed his pencil case into his bag and turned to leave, only to find a tall (not that it took much to be taller than Robin), pink headed girl timidly standing in front of him.

"U-Um... Robin?" Olivia almost whispered. Robin saw her mouth move, but wasn't sure if she was talking to him or not. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Robin?" She was talking to him.

Swinging his bag over his shoulder, Robin replied, offering a reassuring smile, "Hey, Olivia. What's up?"

She gestured for Libra to come over. "Well... I just wanted to ask you something."

Robin blinked.

* * *

It was the evening, and Robin had deliberately dawdled at an extremely slow pace, stopping at every bench and every wall to stare at the sky. Hesitantly, a faded orange crept across the clouds as the sun lowered itself over the horizon. He was alone, and much calmer now. Chrom was at a practice, and he was probably about finished now, but Robin felt he deserved this quiet time to reflect as he walked home; he had been surrounded by noise all day, after all.

He wasn't completely sure what had come over him earlier when he had practically yelled at Chrom, but he knew it had probably been brewing for a while. The feeling of inadequacy.

Chrom was talented, and not only that, but he worked so hard, and Robin didn't mean to take that away from him. Admiration was all he harboured for Chrom; he was only annoyed at himself for the fact he felt he wasn't good enough. He was angry because he hadn't accomplished anything worth recognition like an award or a trophy. Getting out of bed, following a conversation, or hitting the volleyball correctly was enough to feel like a victory for Robin. It was enough that he felt proud of himself. It wasn't enough for anybody else to.

He wished it was enough for Chrom. Selfishly, he wanted his friend to see him as a person who could achieve great things, but not burning toast was about the most successful thing Robin could manage.

Maybe he had potential? He loved acting. He loved music. He loved drawing. Unfortunately, he'd never particularly done anything of any worth in any of those subjects. That's all they were so far. School subjects.

Although, he-

At a tap on the back, Robin's train of thought was derailed. After watching it crash and burn in front of his tired eyes, he turned to see who was there, sighing.

Of course it was Chrom.

Clearly the boy had ran all the way to catch up with him, as he looked slightly out of breath, even for an athlete. His blue hair almost sparkled in the blinding light of the setting sun, the rays reaching down to paint gold into his eyes. Robin was slightly taken aback at how... pretty he looked in the light.

"Robin, you were..." Chrom stopped for a second to swallow, before continuing, "You were right. I haven't seen anything you've done."

Robin anxiously squeezed his forearms with each hand. He wasn't entirely sure where this conversation was going. "It's fine, Chrom. There's nothing to see."

"I didn't tell you anything you're good at," Chrom looked a bit sheepish.

"You didn't."

Chrom appeared as though he was trying to pronounce the most difficult sentence he had ever come across in his life, in a language he didn't speak. "Really, I was just a bit, uh... surprised? That you... felt that way. About. Yourself... That you felt you weren't good at anything, or something."

Robin gave a confused expression.

"Sorry, I'm not making much sense," Chrom admitted. His hands began making larger gestures as he spoke. "I just... I mean... I don't think of you in that way at all. I mean I don't think you're not good at anything."

Chrom raised his head, staring directly into Robin's eyes. "Robin, I truly think you're amazing!" The words hit Robin in the chest like a punch. "You don't need to go and... win awards, or a stupid football match to accomplish something, or fulfil something in life. I think you're an incredible... friend. Not just to me, but to everyone. I know that we all feel the same way, even Frederick! I think you're passionate about the things that you like, and you're always actively trying to better yourself, not just at the things you enjoy, but at being a person. You never stop being kind to everyone, no matter how you feel, Robin, and you put everyone else before yourself. That's one of the most difficult things to do - it's something I can't do all the time, and it's something a lot of our friends can't do all the time. It's like... you're doing a puzzle, or something, and you're looking for a massive piece to complete it, instead of realising the smaller pieces fit together to fill in the gap... I mean... What have _I_ done other than sports? I could never be as genuine of a person as you are, yet you completely overlook these aspects of yourself..." Robin was completely taken aback, and could only offer stunned silence in response. "See, you're even a great listener, even if it's because you're deaf." Robin laughed, realising that now Chrom looked even more flustered and out of breath than he did before. "That's what I see in you. What... do you see?"

Robin shrugged. "Watching you guys makes me feel like I need to do something like that. Even though sports isn't, like... my thing. I just feel kind of bad that I can't do it. It's shitty, but... I have this need for everyone to think I'm the greatest. I used to be, like, gifted and talented as a kid, but now nobody really tells me I'm good at anything anymore. It's completely dumb, I know. I just want to feel worthy."

"That's so normal, I promise. Everyone wants to feel like they've done something good, Robin. When you compliment me after a game it's the best feeling in the world!" Chrom's dazzling smile suddenly became quite shy, and he could no longer look at his friend. "Olivia came and told me how amazing you are at theatre. I wish I could see it for myself, because the way she talks about you... I can just picture it in my head."

"You can come to see me... Probably."

Chrom raised his head again. "What?! Really?!"

"Libra and Olivia came and asked me to audition for the theatre production at the college," Robin smiled comfortingly at Chrom. "She's choreographing."

Chrom's entire face lit up like a light bulb that had been left untouched for a week, and was now incredibly eager to shine. "I'll help you go over all of your lines, and practice any songs with you! I can skip practice next week I think, because the coach is busy, so I can help you with-"

Robin could no longer hear what Chrom was going on about, but he couldn't stop staring at him. He was so... Well, after that many words, Robin wasn't sure there were any left to describe how he felt when he looked at Chrom anymore. Maybe...

He loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> helo its me updating again. this is SO CHEESY i know but i just want them to be happy and nice to each other w


	8. Chapter 8

Robin lay on his bed, his knees tucked up to his chest, and his hands clutching his phone close to his chin.

'You awake?' Robin kept rereading Chrom's message over and over.

"Just reply," he told himself, but for some reason talking seemed like the most difficult thing in the world to do now. Now that he knew how he felt about Chrom. He had spent the last few weeks stumbling over sentences and tripping over topics, trying desperately to act as though everything was normal, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide his feelings.

'just about' Robin typed in response, sighing. He buried his face into a soft, white pillow, begging for it to just swallow him up, leaving him forever in a peaceful state of mind.

He was so tired - exhausted, even. His brain wouldn't stop moving at top speed, making it ridiculously hard to go to sleep at night. He was so tired that he could just... drift off... now...

Robin immediately shot up at the sound of the doorbell. Who the hell was calling so early on a Saturday? Pacing over to the front door, he lazily pulled it open to see no other than Chrom standing before him.

"Hey," Robin managed to get out between yawns. Chrom's eyes scanned over his friend. His hair hadn't been brushed, and was sticking out in little white tufts in all sorts of places, as though it were reaching to grab things around it. Seeming as though they would stay closed forever, his eyelids fell down slowly, before using all their might to raise themselves back up again. To top off the 'I'm Running on an Hour of Sleep' look, Robin sported a long sleeved t-shirt far too big for him, and was clumsily holding the sleeves of it like a small child. In short, he looked... adorable.

"Uh... Hey, Robin..." Chrom choked in between each word, a crimson blush spreading across his face. "I thought I would come to, uh... help you practice for the... auditions. I didn't realise you had... only just woken up."

"It's like 8 in the morning, Chrom."

"This is late for me," Chrom laughed.

"I will never understand you," Robin opened the door wider to allow Chrom to step inside, before hastily closing it and leading the other to his room.

"So... What's the play?" Chrom stood awkwardly in the corner, shifting about as Robin sprawled himself on his bed.

Robin smirked. "You can sit down, you know?"

"There aren't any chairs."

"Just sit at the end of my bed." Chrom worriedly stared at the bed sheets as if they would eat him alive. "I don't bite." Once again, the blue haired boy's face lit up a shocking cherry red as he hurriedly seated himself and pressed his hands to his cheeks, hoping to cool them down.

"What's the... the play?" he asked again.

"Guess!" adjusting himself so he was sitting more comfortably, Robin crossed his legs, leaning his shoulder on his knee and his head on his hand, looking over at Chrom with a crafty smile.

"I don't know plays."

"It's not a play."

"So it's a musical?"

"It's a musical."

"Well... I think I know even less musicals."

"It's a good musical."

"It's a good musical?"

"It's a great musical."

"Well, you'd say that. You like musicals."

"You don't like musicals?"

"...I like musicals."

Giggling at Chrom's awkwardness, Robin twisted his hair around his finger. "So what musical is it?"

"Uh... Romeo and Juliet."

"That's not a musical!"

"Shit."

Robin could barely contain his laughter, leaning forwards as he sputtered. His hair bounced around as he moved, and his eyes lit up all the colours of the rainbow. Chrom loved Robin's laugh so much; it was the sweetest tune filled with perfectly written notes and harmonies. He wished it would never end. "I can't believe you thought Romeo and Juliet was a musical!"

"That... was a joke."

"It wasn't!"

"Okay, fine, it wasn't... So we've established it's not Romeo and Juliet?"

"I hope we have!"

"Uh... Annie?"

"Nope."

"Wicked?"

"Nope."

"Oliver?"

"Are those the only musicals you know?" Robin teased.

"No! I just can't think under pressure."

"It's Little Shop of Horrors," Robin pulled his audition scripts out of his bag, flicking through them.

"Isn't that the one where the weird plant eats people?"

"Yeah!"

"That's... not what I was expecting for a college production."

"Pretty dark, right?" Robin's eyes shone for a moment.

Chrom feigned concern, "I'm not sure you should be so excited about that."

Snickering, Robin handed Chrom a copy of the scene he was to perform for his audition. "You can read for Audrey."

"You're going for Seymour?"

Robin hesitated, "Mushnik." He looked distant for a moment before gesturing to his head. "My white hair works great for an old man!"

Chrom frowned. "You don't sound like you want to go for Mushnik."

"Well... Not really," Robin looked bothered. "I was going to go for Seymour, but then I saw a few of the people who were auditioning... and I knew I wouldn't stand a chance. I'll settle for Mushnik."

"Don't settle," with barely a thought, Chrom grabbed Robin's hand, looking into his eyes sincerely. "Go for Seymour."

"Uh... Well, I mean, I guess I could...?"

Sitting up in a flash, Chrom beamed at his friend, "Good! What's the audition song?"

Checking his notes, Robin replied, "Grow for me."

"You wanna go over it?" Chrom asked hopefully, desperately wanting to hear Robin sing.

"Not really..." sheepishly looking away, Robin mumbled. "I'm a bit embarrassed to sing in front of you... To be honest, I'm a bit embarrassed to act, as well."

Standing up and taking his position on the stage of Robin's room, he gestured for the other to join him, echoing his own words back. "I don't bite."

As he rose to stand beside Chrom, he was suddenly no longer Robin. Taking in his stance and his facial expression, Chrom could barely recognise him.

" _Audrey, what'd they say to you?_ "

'Wow...' Chrom thought. " _Who?_ "

" _The police._ "

He was... really good at acting. " _Oh, nothing._ "

" _Talk to me,_ " Robin took a few steps towards him. " _Tell me what they said._ "

" _It's Orin. They say he's disappeared!_ " Chrom felt a bit stupid reading the lines. It wasn't that he didn't want to read them. It was just that Robin was exceptional.

" _Don't cry, Audrey,_ " Robin shuffled closer, concern dancing in his eyes. " _Would it be so terrible if something had happened to him?_ "

Chrom gulped. " _Seymour, what a thing to say._ " He was confused to find himself believing every word that came out the other's mouth.

" _Well, would it?_ "

" _It wouldn't be terrible at all. It'd be a miracle. Not to mention all the money I'd save on Epsom salts and Ace bandages._ "

" _You see?_ "

" _But I'd still feel guilty. If he met with foul play or some terrible accident of some kind... it'd be partly my fault just because, secretly, I wished it._ "

" _That's all behind you now. You got nothing to be ashamed of._ "

" _You're a very nice person. I always knew you were._ "

" _Underneath the bruises and the handcuffs, you know what I saw?_ " Robin took the script from him, threw it to the side, and grasped Chrom's hands, looking up into his eyes. " _A boy I respected. I still do._ "

Chrom couldn't breathe. "G-girl."

"What?"

"It's... uh... it's: _A girl I respected._ "

Robin didn't move. "Right. That's what I meant."

"Of course."

"Yep."

"Yes." Chrom felt how small Robin's hands were compared to his. "What happens next?" He tightened his grip slightly.

"In the play?" Robin's knees started shaking.

"Yes."

"Uh..." Robin blinked rapidly as Chrom softly circled his thumb on his hand. "There's a song..."

"About...?"

"Well... Audrey and Seymour realise they can... be together." The blush on Robin's face grew ever brighter as Chrom's face edged closer to his own.

"Really...?" Chrom brought his lips to Robins, gently pressing them together, their mouths blending in a warm mixture of love and compassion. "Sounds nice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uwa im sorry ive not updated in forever im back at school ive got so much work i could barely write w enjoy more chrobin cheese


	9. Chapter 9

Sunday had lasted one or two lifetimes for Robin, who had spent the majority of the day fervently checking his phone for any messages from Chrom, instead of doing his Biology homework. After five endless hours of distraction, he had resorted to handing it to his mother, and telling her to hide it from him. Luckily it had worked, and he'd completed the dull worksheet in about half an hour, but what it had failed to resolve was the issue of his brain churning out a brand new thought about Chrom after every other word was written.

Upon showing his finished work to his mother and receiving his phone back, Robin was disappointed to discover that there was still a discouraging lack of messages from his... friend?

'Friend' didn't seem like the appropriate label anymore. Not after the incident the day before, in which the two had engaged in an unexpected, passionate kiss, and then had sat awkwardly in Robin's room until Chrom decided he should return home for lunch. His face became hot just thinking about it.

Robin had _really_ liked it. Probably a bit too much. He was a stranger to kissing (his first had been accidental, and in primary school, so it didn't really count), but when Chrom's lips had met his, he felt as though he were an expert.

What an embarrassing thought.

...Perhaps Chrom hadn't messaged him because _he_ was anxiously for his phone to ring with a text from _Robin?_

Of course not.

He probably hadn't said anything because he thought it was a mistake, and that they never should've done it. He probably thought of him as just a friend, and it was only a heat of the moment, in-character thing. Nobody would want to kiss Robin. Especially when he looked awful because it was so early in the morning, he had barely brushed his teeth, and his pyjamas looked like-

_Buzz._

Sleepily rubbing at his eyes, Robin grasped around the bed for his phone, his eyes squinting at the new source of light when he pressed the home button.

Henry had texted him.

'You alright robin?'

Robin smiled lazily. That Henry... he always knew when something was wrong; it was as if he had some kind of magical power.

'pretty much'

'U sure nothing happened?'

Considering for a moment if he should confide in his friend, Robin typed back. 'im sure. thanks for checking up on me though, see u at school'

He felt a bit guilty for not disclosing the full truth of the matter to Henry, but he wanted to make sure _he_ knew what was happening with this situation first.

* * *

 

The very last thing Robin had expected to see when stepping out of his front door was a sheepish Chrom, awkwardly shuffling about on the pavement, fumbling with his phone.

"Chrom?" Robin called out, slightly confused. Seemingly startled by the sudden voice, Chrom practically leapt into the air, his phone flying from his hand like a bird first leaving the nest. Robin giggled to himself as he watched him struggle to catch it before it hit the ground. That thing had a mind of its own.

"Robin! Robin, Robin," Chrom hastily sped through his words as though he was under a time limit. "Robin, you didn't text..." Childishly, his bottom lip was now protruding from his mouth.

"Neither did you."

"But I was waiting to see if you would text me..."

"I was waiting for  _you_ to text _me_ ," Robin chuckled, internally delighted to hear that he did, in fact, want to communicate, and wasn't planning on ignoring him for the rest of his life, before continuing. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to walk to school with you."

"We can do that."

"Really?!" Chrom seemed breathless at Robin's nod in reply. "I thought you wouldn't wanna talk to me anymore after Saturday! All I could think was ' _Wow, you've messed that one up, Chrom!_ ' so I was too scared to say anything to you! I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay between us and-"

Reaching up to place his finger on Chrom's lips, Robin giggled again. "Everything is more than okay." A pink blush painted his cheeks. "It was very nice, actually."

Chrom blinked rapidly for a few seconds, before his face erupted into a shocking shade of scarlet. " _Really?!_ "

"Of course."

"I w-wanted to do it for a very long time..." Chrom's eyes shifted about, seeming to look at everything except for the one standing in front of him.

This time it was Robin's turn to be surprised. "Really?"

"...Yeah..."

"...Me too."

"Can I, uh, k-kiss you again?"

"...I really want you to do that," Robin mumbled, bringing his hands to his face.

Leaning down, Chrom placed a loving kiss to the smaller boy's forehead, subsequently throwing his arm around his shoulders to pull him closer as they began their journey to the college, Robin's face still hiding in his hands.

* * *

 

"Chrom kissed me."

Henry dropped his maths textbooks onto the floor of the foyer. "HE DID _WHAT?!_ "

"Shh..." Robin laughed, picking up his friend's belongings for him. "On Saturday. Then again this morning, although just on the forehead."

"Hang on, so Saturday was on the _LIPS?_ "

"Be quiet!" stifling laughter, Robin continued, "Yes, it was."

It was the end of the school day, just before the auditions for the show began, and the first point in the day where Robin had been able to see Henry, as they didn't have any classes together on Monday. He had wanted to tell someone about the experience since the moment it had occurred, and was almost as delighted to speak of it as Henry was to learn of it.

"It's about time!!!" he cried, continuing to talk as loudly as before, despite Robin's frequent hushes. "You're beaming almost as wide as I do, Robin."

"It's that obvious?"

"I've barely seen you smile before, let alone this!"

"I know..." he trailed off, grinning again, unable to stop himself.

"You're so cute when you're in love!" Henry cooed, earning himself a soft punch to the arm.

"Oh, shut up." Nonchalantly scanning his eyes across the room, he spotted Chrom sat on the bench on which they occasionally ate lunch, and which doubled as a meeting place after classes.

"You just saw him, didn't you? Your eyes just lit up. That was really gay Robin. That was one of the gayest things I've seen you do."

Smiling wider, Robin departed, calling back to the smug Henry as he left, "You're one to talk... think about Lon'qu!"

Leaning back against the wall, Chrom was scrolling through some social media on his phone. Sapphire hair hung loosely around his face, which bore an expression of deep concentration. Thankfully, he wasn't surrounded by people as many had already left a while ago in the first tidal wave of students swimming for the doors.

Robin didn't want to disturb such a peaceful looking scene, but after hours of ridiculously boring work, he was eager to speak to his...

He still didn't know what to call him.

"Hey," he managed to cough out, standing directly in front of Chrom, who immediately gave the other all of his attention. He felt a bit strange being the taller one in the situation. Chrom, on the other hand, looked positively at ease, offering a gentle smile, and outstretching a soft hand for him. Hesitantly, Robin held it with both of his.

"I missed you in English," Chrom spoke quietly, but not so quietly that Robin struggled any more than usual. It was as though he wanted the moment to stay between only the two of them. "I would've gone with you if it weren't for the set groups."

Bitterly, Robin reflected on the past English lesson, which he had spent suffering along to a conversation between a crowd of people he barely knew, with not an ounce of understanding as to what was happening, and silently writing some essay paragraphs in his book to make up for the work he wasn't doing with everyone else.

"I hate group work," was all he could manage in response.

"I know," Chrom's smile dimmed sympathetically, before brightening again as he continued. "You ready to go get Seymour?"

"If I'm lucky."

"You don't need luck," Chrom said sincerely, "You're amazing. I know you'll get the part." There was a brief silence, before Robin decided he ought to fill it with his thoughts. Better now than never.

"I was just, uh, thinking," he tried paced his words carefully, so as not to blurt them out in a bloody mess, "Are we, like..."

"Boyfriends?" Chrom finished the sentence, smirking at the other.

Feeling his face heating up, Robin continued rambling at length in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

"Robin," Chrom began, his oceanic eyes looking directly into the other's, "Go out with me?"

Robin blinked.

Chrom's smile didn't falter until the practically whispered answer of 'yes' reached his ears. The blue haired boy let out the world's biggest sigh of relief, his face now a strawberry. "I thought I was gonna _explode_ just now!"

"How did you play that so cool?!" Robin chuckled, lacing his fingers into Chrom's.

"I have no idea!" he laughed, running his free hand through his hair as Robin stood, analysing every inch of his face. The shape of his lips, the glimmer of his eyes, the length of his eyelashes... He truly was a beautiful person - not just in appearance, but at heart. Robin couldn't have asked for anything more.

"...I love you, Chrom."

"I love you, too, Robin."

Glancing down at their intertwined hands, Robin was glad to realise he finally knew how much smaller his hand seemed now that it was holding Chrom's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry there's so much speech in this lol
> 
> i havent updated this in like forever for a lot of reasons im not gonna go into it. originally i wanted to write more for this plot but i decided just to write this to finally finish the story, and i will probably go back through the chapters and edit a few things to improve it, but other than that i think this is pretty much done now. im sorry if i ruined the rest of the story with this jgfjgfjkljk... thank u to everyone who has shown support for me with this! ive never posted anything ive written before so this was an experience and i thank u for the nice comments! thank u for reading and i hope u have enjoyed this little gay adventure

**Author's Note:**

> i know this is cheesy as hell and my writing is bad but i eat college aus up and there is never enough chrobin so i thought why not just write it


End file.
